High voltage regulator



June 9,1959 B. T. WRIGHT 2,890,333

max-1 VOLTAGE REGULATOR Filed July 11, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet l HEATER SUPPLY r 2.

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June 9, 1959 B. T. WRIGHT HIGH VOLTAGE REGULATOR Filed: July 11, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I ATTO RNEY HIGH VOLTAGE REGULATOR Byron T. Wright, Oakland, Calif., assignor to the United States of America as represented by the United States Atomic Energy Commission Application July 11, 1946, Serial No. 682,960

6 Claims. (Cl. 250-419) The present invention relates to high voltage regulators and more particularly to high voltage regulators for the accelerator and other high voltage electrodes of calutrons.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved high voltage regulator for the accelerator and other high voltage electrodes of a calutron.

Another object of this invention is to provide a high voltage regulator for the accelerator electrode of a calutron, the characteristics of the regulator being such that the accelerating voltage is rapidly restored after a sudden drop therein, such as is caused by sparking.

Another object of this invention is to provide a high voltage regulator for the high voltage accelerating voltage supply of a calutron which upon sudden drop in the accelerating voltage will abruptly restore this voltage in the direction of normal even to the extent of overshooting normal,

Another object of the present invention is to provide a high voltage regulator for the accelerating electrode voltage supply of a calutron isotope enriching or separating apparatus, the high voltage regulator having such characteristics that upon sudden drop in accelerating voltage the regulator will abruptly restore the accelerating electrode voltage in the direction of normal even to the extentof overshooting normal so that the heavy mass portion of the calutron ion beam will be swept across the lighter mass calutron receiving pocket so quickly that the lighter masspocket is not materially contaminated by the heavier mass portion.

Other and further objects of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention relates from the following specification, claims and drawing, in which:

Figure l is a diagrammatic view of a calutron and the various current supplies and high voltage regulator connected thereto;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic sectional View of the calutron taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a schematic wiring diagram of the high voltage regulator and high voltage supply embodying features of this invention.

At the outset it is noted that a calutron is a machine of the character disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 2,709,222, issued to Ernest 0. Lawrence for Method and Apparatus for Separating Materials, and is employed to separate the constituent isotope-s of an element and more particularly to increase the proportion of a selected isotope in an element containing several asotopes in order to produce the element enriched with the selected isotope. For example, the machine is especially useful in producing uranium enriched with U Such a calutron essentially comprises means for vaporizing a quantity of material containing an element that is to be enriched with a selected one of its several isotopes; means for subjecting the vapor to ionization, whereby at least a portion of the vapor is ionized causing ions of the several isotopes of the element to be produced;

electrical means for segregating the ions from the unionized vapor and for accelerating the segregated ions through relatively high velocities; electromagnetic means for deflecting the ions along curved paths, the radii of curvatures of the paths of the ions being proportional to the square roots of the masses of the ions, whereby the ions are concentrated in accordance with their masses; and means for de-ionizing and collecting the ions of the selected mass thus concentrated to produce a deposit of the element enriched with the selected isotope.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, there is illustrated a representative example of a calutron 10 of the character noted, that comprises magnetic field structure including upper and lower pole pieces 11 and 12, provided with substantially fiat parallel spaced-apart pole faces, and a tank 13 disposed between the pole pieces 11 and 12. The pole pieces 11 and 12 carry windings, not shown, which are adapted to be energized in order to produce a substantially uniform and relatively strong magnetic field therebetween, which magnetic field passes through the tank 13 and the various parts housed therein. The tank 13 is of tubular configuration, being substantially crescent-shaped in plan, and comprising substantially fiat parallel spaced-apart top and bottom walls 14 and 15, upstanding curved inner and outer side walls 16 and 17, and end walls 18 and 19. The end walls 18 and 19 close the opposite ends of the tubular tank 13 and are adapted to be rcmovably secured in place, whereby the tank .13 is hermetically sealed. Also, vacuum pumping apparatus, not shown, is associated with the tank 13, whereby the interior of the tank 13 may be evacuated to a pressure of the order of 10* to 10* mm. Hg. Preferably, the component parts of the tank 13 are formed of steel, the top and bottom walls 14 and 15 thereof being spaced a short distance from the pole faces of the upper and lower pole pieces 11 and 12, respectively, the tank 13 being retained in such position in any suitable manner, whereby the top and bottom walls 14 and 15 constitute in effect pole pieces with respect to the interior of the tank 13, as explained more fully hereinafter.

The removable end wall 18 suitably supports an ion generator unit 20 comprising a charge receptacle 21 and a communicating arc block 22. An electric heater 23 is arranged in heat exchange relation with the charge receptacle 21 and is adapted to be connected to a suitable source ofheater supply 34, whereby the charge receptacle 21 may be appropriately heated, the charge receptacle 21 being formed of copper or the like. The are block 22 is formed, at least partially, of carbon or graphite and is substantially C-shaped in plan, an upstanding slot 24 being formed in the wall thereof remote from the charge receptacle 21. Thus, the arc block 22 is of hollow construction, the cavity therein communicating with the interior of the charge receptacle 21.

Also, the removable end wall 18 carries a filamentary cathode 25 adapted to be connected ,to a suitable source of filament supply 35 the filamentary cathode 25 being spaced from the upper end of the arc block 22 and arranged in alignment with respect to the upper end of the cavity formed therein. The are block 22 carries an anode 26 disposed adjacent the lower end thereof and aligned along the magnetic field with respect to the cavity formed therein. Also, the arc block 22 carries a collimating plate electrode 27 disposed adjacent the upper end thereof and having an elongated collimating slot 28 formed therethrough and aligned along .the magnetic field with respect to the filamentary cathode 25 as well as the anode 2'6 and the cavity formed in the arc block 22. Both the anode 26 and the collimating electrode 27 are electrically connected to the source unit 20 which in turnis grounded; likewise, the tank '13 is Patented June 9., 1959 grounded. Also, the filamentary cathode 25 and the cooperating anode 26 are adapted to be connected to a suitable source of arc supply 36. It is noted that the above-described collimating electrode arrangementis disclosed in the copending application of Frank Oppenheimer, and since issued as U.S. Patent No. 2,719,925.

Further, the removable end wall 18 carries ion accelerating structure 39 formed of carbon or graphite and disposed in spaced relation with respect to the wall of the arc block 22 in which the slot 24 is formed. More specifically, a slit 40 is defined by the ion accelerating structure 39 and arranged in substantial alignment with respect to the slot 24 formed in the wall of the arc block 22. A suitable source of accelerating electrode supply is adapted to be connected between the arc block 22 (or ground potential) and the ion accelerating structure 39, the positive terminal 41 and negative terminal 42 of the supply 37 being respectively connected to the arc block 22 and to the ion accelerating structure 39. The voltage of this supply 37 is carefully regulated, and the construction of this regulated voltage supply with the calutron 10 as a whole forms the subject matter of the present invention.

The removable end wall 19 suitably supports a collector block 29 formed of stainless steel or the like and provided with two laterally spaced-apart cavities or pockets 30 and 31 which respectively communicate with aligned slots 32 and 33 formed in the wall of the collector block 29 disposed remote from the removable end wall 19. It is noted that the pockets 30 and 31 are adapted to receive two constituent isotopes of an element which have been separated inthe calutron 10, as explained more fully hereinafter.

Considering now the general principle of operation of the calutron 10, a charge comprising a compound of the element to be treated is placed in the charge receptacle 21, the compound of the element mentioned being one which may be readily vaporized. The end walls 18 and 19 are securely attached to the open ends of the tank 13, whereby the tank 13 is hermetically sealed. The various electrical connections are completed and operation of the vacuum pumping apparatus, not shown, associated with the tank 13 is initiated. When a pressure of the order of 10- to mm. Hg is established within the tank 13, the electric circuits for the windings, not shown, associated with the pole pieces 11 and 12 are closed and adjusted, whereby a predetermined magnetic field is established there-between traversing the tank 13. The electric circuit for the heater 23 is closed, whereby the charge in the charge receptacle 21 is heated and vaporized. The vapor fills the charge receptacle 21 and is conducted into the communicating cavity formed in the arc block 22. The electric circuit for the filamentary cathode25 is closed, whereby the filamentary cathode is heated and rendered electron emissive. 'Ihen the electric circuit between the filamentary cathode 25 and the anode 26 is closed, whereby an arc discharge is struck therebetween, electrons proceeding from the filamentary cathode 25 through the collimating slot 28 formed in the collimating electrode 27 to the anode 26.. The collimating slot 28 formed in the collimating electrode 27 defines the cross-section of the stream of electrons proceeding into the arc block 22, whereby the arc discharge has a ribbon-like configuration and breaks up the molecular form of the compound of the vapor to a considerable extent, producing positive ions of the element that is to be enriched with the selected one of its isotopes. A more detailed explanation of the operation of the aforesaid arrangement may be had by referring to the copending application of Frank Oppenheimer, and since issued as U.S. Patent No. 2,719,925.

The electric circuit between the arc block 22 and the ion accelerating structure 39 is comp e the ion 210C616? ating structure 39 being at a high negative potential with r p K0 the are block 22, whereby positive ions 1:1), I

the arc block 22 are attracted by the ion accelerating structure 39 and accelerated through the voltage impressed therebetween. More particularly, the positive ions proceed from the cavity formed in the arc block 22 through the slot 24 formed in the wall thereof, and across the space between the ion accelerating structure 39 and the adjacent wall of the arc block 22, and thence through the slit 40 formed in the ion accelerating structure 39 into the interior of the tubular liner 45. The high-velocity positive ions form a vertical upstanding ribbon or beam proceeding from the cavity formed in the arc block 22 through the slot 24 and the aligned slit 40 into the tubular liner 45.

As previously noted, the collector block 29, as well as the tubular liner 45, is electrically connected to the ion accelerating structure 39, whereby there is an electricfield-free path for the high velocity positive ions disposed between the ion accelerating structure 39 and the collector block 29 within the tubular liner 45. The highvelocity positive ions entering the adjacent end of the liner 45 are deflected from their normal straight-line path and from a vertical plane passing through the slot 24 and the aligned slit 40, due to the effect of the relatively strong magnetic field maintained through the space within the tank 13 and the liner 45 through which the positive ions travel, whereby the positive ions describe arcs, the radii of which are proportional to the square roots of the masses of the ions and consequently of the isotopes of the element mentioned. Thus, ions of the relatively light isotopes of the element describe an interior arc of relatively short radius and are focused through the slot 32 into the pocket 30 formed in the collector block 29; whereas ions of the relatively heavy isotope of the element describe an exterior arc of relatively long radius and are focused through the slot 33 into the pocket 31 formed in the collector block 29. Accordingly, the relatively light ions are collected in the pocket 30 and are de-ionized to produce a deposit of the relatively light isotope of the element therein; while the relatively heavy ions are collected in the pocket 31 and are de-ionized to produce a deposit of the relatively heavy isotope of the element therein.

After all of the charge in the charge receptacle 21 has been vaporized, all of the electric circuits are interrupted and the end wall 18 is removed so that another charge may be placed in the charge receptacle 21 and subsequently vaporized in the manner explained above. After a suitable number of charges have been vaporized in order to obtain appropriate deposits of the isotopes of the element in the pockets 3t) and 3]. of the collector block 29, the end wall 19 may be removed and the deposits of the collected isotopes of the pockets 30 and 31 in the collector block 29 may be reclaimed.

In the normal operation of the calutron, sparking sometimes occurs between the accelerating electrodes 39 and the arc block 26. This is deleterious in that the spark current drops the accelerating voltage on the electrodes 39, and the ion beam then has less energy. As a result, its constituents describe paths of smaller radius, even failing entirely to strike the collector 29. The electrode supply 37 has a voltage regulator forming an integral part thereof, and upon cessation of the sparking the regulator returns the voltage to its normal value. When ordinary regulators are used, the voltage is restored rapidly at first, but as it approaches the normal value the restoring rate is slowed so as not to overshoot the normal value. The radii of the beam components increase in accordance with the voltage restoration, but when the rate of return is slowest, the U constituent is just passing the U pocket. Thus, the U beam constituent discharges into the U pocket contaminating the previously separated material. The present invention, therefore, seeks to reduce this contamination to a minimum by sweeping the U beam constituent rapidly past the U pocket as will be detailed hereinafterv Of course, it will be understood that the various dimensions of the parts of the calutron 10, the various electrical potentials applied between the various electrical parts thereof, as well as the strength of the magnetic field between the pole pieces 11 and 12, are suitably correlated with respect to each other, depending upon the mass numbers of the several isotopes of the element which is to be treated therein. In this connection, reference is again made to the above-identified patent of Ernest 0.

Lawrence, for a complete specification of a calutron especially designed for the production of uranium enriched with the isotope U By way of illustration, it is noted that when the calutron is employed in order to produce uranium enriched with U the compound of uranium which is suggested as a suitable charge in the charge receptable 21 is UCSl as this compound may be readily vaporized and the molecular form of the vapor may be readily broken up to form positive ions of uranium With great facility. In this case, uranium enriched with U is collected in the pocket of the collector block 29, and uranium comprising principally U is collected in the pocket 31 of the collector block 29. Also, it is noted that from a practical standpoint, the deposit of uranium collected in the pocket 30 of the collector block 29 contains considerable amounts of U in view of the fact that this isotope comprises the dominant constituent of normal uranium. Furthermore, the deposit of uranium collected in the pocket 30 of the collector block 29 contains a considerably increased amount of U in view of the fact that it is not ordinarily feasible to separate U and U in the production of relatively large quantities of uranium enriched with U for commercial purposes. Accordingly, in this example the uranium deposited in the pocket 30 of the collector block 29 is considerably enriched, both with U and with U and considerably impoverished with respect to U as compared to natural or normal uranium.

In the operation of the calutron 10, it is highly desirable that a relatively intense stable beam of positive ions be projected by the ion accelerating structure 39 through the liner toward the collector block 29 which operating condition requires that the source unit 20 presents to the accelerating structure 39 a high density plasma surface which is extremely stable in shape, position and ion density. As has been heretofore described, in order to obtain such a plasma surface, the rate of ion production by the arc discharge in the source unit 20 iriust be substantially constant. This has been accomplished by controlling the heating energy applied to the are cathode inversely as the arc current.

The wiring diagram of the accelerating electrode voltage supply and regulator 37 of Figure l is shown in Fig. 3, the output terminals 41 and 42 appearing at the right. Power is fed into the primary of a transformer adapted to receive commercial polyphase power such as 3-phase 460 volt alternating current. A secondary 51 is Y-connect'ed, the outer ends of the secondary windings being connected to the anodes of three halfwave rectifier tubes 52, 53 and 54. When the anodes become positive due to the induced voltages in the secondary windings, the tubes conduct current and a busbar 56 connecting the cathodes of the rectifier tubes forms the positive lead of the rectifier. The neutral of the Y-connected secondary 51 is connected to a busbar 57 forming the negative lead of the rectifier unit.

The current of the rectifier tubes has a maximum value as determined by a limiter tube 58 which protects the rectifier tubes and the transformer in the event of a short or other low resistance condition such as occurs when a spark forms between the electrode 3a and the arc block 22. The negative rectifier lead 57 is connected through a choke 59 to the cathode of the limiter tube 58, which is emission limited. The anode of the limiter tube is connected to a concentric cable 61 leading to the negative terminal 42 of the power supply.

The positive lead 56 of the rectifier tubes is connected through a choke 62 and resistor 63 to the anode of a control tube 64 which is a triode type. The voltage on the grid of the control tube 64 is automatically controlled to regulate the current through the tube and thus regulate the voltage of the entire power supply across the terminals 41 and 42. Tube 64 is connected as a losser tube since it imparts a variable loss or resistance in the line by means of which the voltage output is regulated. The cathode of the control tube 64 is connected to a busbar 66 which ends in the positive terminal 41 which is grounded. The grid of the tube 64 is connected through resistors 67 and 68 to the grounded 'busbar 66. Thus the grid voltage is at ground potential when the regulator is not operating. In practice, however, the regulator is operating continuously, and the grid of the control tube 64 is held at a voltage that is near the middle of its operating range so as to correct for excesses and deficiencies of voltages at the output tenninals 41 and 42.

The ripple in the output of the rectifier tubes 52, 53 and 54 is filtered by the chokes 59 and 62 and the resistor 63, all previously mentioned, and by a capacitor 69. A capacitor 71 is connected between the choke 59 and the limiter tube 58 to hold the rectifier voltage with respect to ground and accommodate the variations of voltage in the neutral of the transformer.

The driving or signal voltage for the regulator is obtained by tapping the voltage between two resistors connected in Series across the power supply output. Inasmuch as the variations in the voltages that the regulator counteracts have various frequencies, the two resistors are each shunted by a capacitor of proper value to make the time constant of one RC network equal to the other. This construction is fully disclosed in the copending application of William Baker, since issued as US. Patent No. 2,783,433, to which reference should be made for a more detail description of the advantages and functions. The eifect of the equal time constants in the two RC networks is to provide a control voltage that is a true proportion of the instantaneous voltage across the power supply output regardless of the frequencies of the variations of the instantaneous voltage. Thus the left end of the grounded busbar 66 is connected through a standard voltage power supply 72 to a resistor 73 connected by a concentric cable 70 to a resistor 74 connected to the negative output near the anode of the limiter tube 58. The resistor 74 is shunted by a capacitor 76 and the resistor 73 is shunted by a capacitor 77. The driving or signal voltage is tapped near resistor 73 and passes through resistors 78 and 79 to the control grid of a pentode 81.

The pentode 81 is an amplifier tube, the output being passed through a resistor to cause a voltage amplification that is impressed on the control grid of a second amplifier tube 82 of the beam power type. The output of the second tube likewise passes through resistors to create an additional voltage amplification that is applied to the grid of the control tube 64.

When current passes through the resistors 73 and 74 the voltage drop will cause the voltage in cable 70 to be negative, and thus impress a negative voltage on the control grid of tube 81. Since the cathode of tube 81 is connected to ground, the tube would be at cut-off at all stages of operation if it were not for the standard voltage supply 72. The output of the standard voltage supply is therefore equal to, but opposite in sign to the drop across the resistor 73. When the voltage across the output terminals 41 and 42 is excessive, the voltage of the power supply 72 is overcome and a negative voltage is applied to the grid of tube 81, which in turn drives negative the grid of the control tube 64, increasing its resistance and lowering the output voltage to the desired level. When the output voltage drops, the voltage of the power supply 72 predominates over the drop in the resistor 73 making the grid of tube 81 more positive and the amplifier system causes the grid of the control tube 64 to be- '7 come more positive. This reduces the resistance of' tube 64 and restores the output voltage to its proper value.

Considering now the details of the circuit of the amplifier, it will be noted that plate current for the tube 81 is supplied by a battery 83 and passes through a resistor 84. The voltage for the screen of this tube is also obtained from the battery by a variable takeoff. The plate of tube 81 is also connected through resistors 85 and 86 to a battery 87 that has an output which is negative with respect to ground. Thus, the drop through resistors 84 and 86 is the algebraic sum of the two batteries 83 and 87.

Since the plate supply of tube 82 is at ground potential, its cathode must be at least several hundred volts below ground and the control grid must be even more negative. Therefore, the cathode is connected near the negative end of the battery 87, and the screen is connected at a less negative point. "the control grid is connected to the most negative point of battery 87 since the drop through resistor 86 is positive, and the grid must be at approximately the voltage of the cathode. A capacitor 88 shunts the resistor 85 and tends to damp out the oscillations induced in the grid-cathode circuit due to the grid-cathode capacity and the inductance of the connections. As previously mentioned, the plate output of tube 82 passes through the resistors 67 and 68 to create a voltage that is impressed on the grid of the control tube 64 through the conductor 89.

Considering now the general operation of the entire power supply shown in Figure 3, it will be remembered that the invention includes the use of voltage dividing resistors which are shunted by capacitors that give each RC network the same time constant. More important, however, is the fact that this time constant is greater than the response time of the amplifier system (including tubes 81 and 82) so that the signal received by the amplifier lags behind the true condition of the voltage at the output terminals 41 and 42. As a result, the amplifier in correcting for the voltage condition, by regulating the grid voltage of the tube 64, when the output voltage has already reached its proper value, results in the voltage overshooting its normal value.

This voltage output is impressed on the accelerating electrodes 39 shown in Figures 1 and 2, which gives a greater energy to the ion beam causing it to assume a larger radius, and thus overshoot the receiver slots. The overshoot in itself is not desired, but rather, the most instantaneous return to the normal or greater radius, so that the part of the ion beam containing U ions will not discharge into the U pocket and thus contaminate the material being separated. Since the most rapid regulation of a power supply to normal involves an overshoot, this overshoot is tolerated.

Considering now the detailed operation of the voltage supply of Figure 3, a transformer primary transfers commercial three phase power to the secondary 51 which steps it up to a desirable voltage such as 70 kv. and which in turn is rectified by the tubes 52, 53 and 54, and filtered by the chokes 59 and 62, capacitor 69 and the resistor 63. An emisison limited tube 58 limits the current that can be drawn from the rectifier tubes. The positive output of the rectifier tube is passed through the control triode tube 64 which is automatically controlled to act as a variable resistor to regulate the voltage output, and the cathode of tube 64 is connected to the ground through the grounded busbar 66.

Two resistors 73 and 74 are connected across the output leads 61 and 66 through a standard power supply 72 that opposes the voltage drop in the resistors. The signal voltage for regulating the output at the terminals 41 and 42 is taken off between the two resistors, which divide it into a proper proportion for passing through the amplifier system including the tubes 81 and 82. The signal thus obtained passes through the resistors 78 and 79 to the grid of an amplifier pentode 81 the output of which passes through resistor 85 to impress a signal on the grid of tube 82. The output of tube 82 passes through resistors 67 and 68 to ground to create a control voltage that is impressed through conductor 89 to the grid of the control tube 64. The varying grid voltages of tube 64 varies the resistance of the tube and this resistance in turn regulates the voltage of the output terminals 41 and 42.

It will be appreciated that a definite time is required for the amplifier to respond to a signal voltage and for the amplifier output to vary the resistance of the control tube 64. This time lapse may be considered in terms of frequency and is denoted as the frequency response of the regulator. In ordinary voltage regulators, the variations of voltage that have a frequency less than or smaller than this regulator frequency may be rapidly overcome or regulated out of the system by the regulator. In the instant circuit, however, the amplifier response is not determinative of the frequency response. Rather, the time constants of the RC networks 74, 76, 73 and 77 are the determinative factors. The time factors of these two RC networks are made approximately equal to each other, but of greater duration than the time response of the amplifier and control tube. While this results in a delayed signal being applied to the tube 81, its great merit lies in its effect on the regulation of severe voltage drops across the terminals 41 and 42 such as occur when there is sparking between the accelerating electrode 39 and the arc block. When such sparking ceases, the voltage immediately builds up across the terminals 41 and 42 aided strongly by the regulator tube 64. When the voltage reaches its normal value, the amplifier is not cognizant of this fact because the RC networks have a time lag and give a signal to the amplifier tube that shows 3. below normal voltage. Consequently, the voltage is over corrected resulting in a momentary voltage that is higher than normal across the terminals 41 and 42.

The ion beam radius responds directly to the existing voltages across the terminals 41 and 42 and upon the occurrence of sparking, this voltage may drop greatly so that neither ion beam will even strike the collectors. Upon cessation of the sparking, the regulator restores the voltage, but as the voltage approaches normal, there is no slowing down of the rate of return, contrary to the practice in prior calutron regulating devices. Rather, the voltage sweeps right past the normal mark, and therefore momentarily exceeds normal for the interval of the RC time constant. Thereafter it returns to normal. The beam follows the voltage, the U beam sweeping rapidly past the U pocket, adding but very little contamination to this pocket. The U beam may also sweep past the U pocket but this is incidental to getting the U beam to sweep rapidly past the U pocket. After the momentary overshoot, the beams return to their proper radius, each shooting into its respective pocket, and the regulator acts as any other regulator in eliminating minute voltage variations.

Following are typical values and descriptions of the principal components of Figure 3, which are given for example only since the invention is not limited to specific structure or otherwise except by the terms of the following claims.

Reference Numeral Component; Description capacitor d0 do While I have described this invention in detail with respect to a certain illustrated embodiment, I do not desire to limit the invention to the details set forth, except insofar as those details appear in the following claims.

What is claimed:

1. A high voltage regulator for the accelerator electrode of a calutron comprising a source of high voltage having the positive terminal thereof connected to the calutron ion source, and the negative terminal thereof connected to the calutron accelerator electrode, a losser regulator tube connected in series with said high voltage supply and said calutron, a resistor-capacitor network connected across said high voltage supply and separated therefrom by said losser regulator tube, an amplifier having the input thereof connected to said resistor-capacitor network and the output thereof connected to the grid electrode of said losser regulator tube, the time constant of the aforesaid resistor-capacitor network being greater than the response time of said amplifier so that the signal received by the amplifier lags behind the true condition of the voltage variation at the output terminals across said resistor-capacitor network whereby the output voltage is caused to overshoot its normal value during substantial regulating actions.

2. A high voltage regulator for the accelerator electrode of a calutron comprising a source of high voltage having the positive terminal thereof connected to the calutron ion source, and the negative terminal thereof connected to the calutron accelerator electrode, a losser regulator tube connected in series with said high voltage supply and said calutron, a resistor-capacitor network connected between said calutron ion source and accelerating electrodes, a degenerative amplifier having the input thereof connected to said resistor-capacitor network and the output thereof connected to the grid electrode of said losser regulator tube, the time constant of the aforesaid resistor-capacitor network being greater than the response time of said amplifier so that the signal received by the amplifier lags behind the true condition of the voltage variation at the output terminals across said resistor-capacitor network whereby the output voltage is caused to overshoot its normal value during substantial regulating actions.

3. A high voltage regulator for the accelerator electrode of a calutron comprising a source of high voltage having the positive terminal thereof connected to the calutron ion source, and the negative terminal thereof connected to the calutron accelerator electrode, a losser regulator tube connected in series with said high voltage supply and said calutron, a resistor-capacitor network connected across said high voltage supply and separated therefrom by said losser regulator tube, an amplifier having the input thereof connected to said resistorcapacitor network and the output thereof connected to the grid electrode of said losser regulator tube, a source of standard voltage connected in series with said network, said source of standard voltage biasing the input stage of said amplifier normally to conduct in the middle of the linear grid response region thereof, the time constant of the aforesaid resistor-capacitor network being greater than the response time of said amplifier so that the signal received by the amplifier lags behind the true condition of the voltage variation at the output terminals across said resistor-capacitor network whereby the output voltage is caused to overshoot its normal value during substantial regulating actions.

4. A high voltage regulator for the accelerator electrode of a calutron comprising a source of high voltage having the positive terminal thereof connected to the calutron ion source, and the negative terminal thereof connected to the calutron accelerator electrode, a losser regulator tube connected in series with said high volt age supply and said calutron, a resistor-capacitor network connected across said high voltage supply on the load side of said losser regulating tube, a degenerative amplifier having the input thereof connected to said resistor-capacitor network and the output thereof connected to the grid electrode of said losser regulator tube, a source of standard voltage connected in series with said network, said source of standard voltage being connected to produce a voltage in opposition to the voltage drop across said resistor-capacitor network and of a value to bias said amplifier to a normally conducting state, the time constant of the aforesaid resistor-capacitor network being greater than the response time of said amplifier so that the signal received by the amplifier lags behind the true condition of the voltage variation at the output terminals across said resistor-capacitor network whereby the output voltage is caused to overshoot its normal value during substantial regulating actions.

5. A high voltage regulator for the accelerator electrode of a calutron comprising a source of high voltage having the positive terminal thereof connected to the calutron ion source, said source comprising a polyphase transformer-rectifier arrangement, and the negative terminal thereof connected to the calutron accelerator electrode, a losser regulator tube connected in series with said high voltage supply and said calutron, a resistor-capacitor network connected across said high voltage supply, an amplifier having the input thereof connected to said resistor-capacitor network, and the output thereof connected to the grid electrode of said losser regulator tube, the time constant of the aforesaid resistor-capacitor network being greater than the response time of said amplifier so that the signal received by the amplifier lags behind the true condition of the voltage variation at the output terminals across said resistor-capacitor network whereby the output voltage is caused to overshoot its normal value during substantial regulating actions.

6. A high voltage regulator for a calutron comprising a calutron having a source of ions consisting of isotopic masses to be separated, said calutron having an accelerator electrode for accelerating the aforesaid ions, said calutron also having at least a pair of receivers for receiving the isotopic masses, one of said receivers being adapted to receive the enriched isotopic mass and the other being adapted to receive the impoverished isotopic mass, a source of high voltage for said accelerator electrode, and a regulator, said regulator including a losser tube connected between said source of high voltage and said accelerator electrode, an amplifier for supplying a signal to the grid of said losser tube and an RC network for supplying a signal to said amplifier, the time constant of said RC circuit being large and thereby supplying a time delayed signal to said amplifier whereby the ion beam of said calutron is rapidly swept across said receiver and then restored to its normal position in cases where the high voltage is suddenly decreased in value under conditions such as sparking between the calutron ion source and calutron accelerator electrode.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

